About SCMT

Vicky Gaughan - Principal

There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story ~ Linda Hogan

Nature is my inspiration, I love being outdoors and I walk a lot. My approach to teaching massage reflects this love. I see myself facilitating growth from the “seed” of interest that students bring along to their training. This is my passion and I have felt privileged to witness hundreds of students these past 20 years, come into full bloom!

I expect a lot of myself as a massage teacher. I deliver a high standard of training and I make no excuses for expecting a lot of my students, this is a competitive industry where standards count. Having said that, I believe there are enough clients for everyone. As long as the practitioner pays attention to their nature they will harvest many fruits

Lynda Josse

I have been involved in teaching and professional massage for about 10 years. Having learned about massage informally in London during the 1980’s, I studied for a professional qualification with SCMT in 1998-99. As a massage therapist my practice is based on a holistic and nurturing approach, informed by the science of Anatomy and Physiology.

My fascination with Anatomy and Physiology means that I love teaching it, and I’m constantly looking for ways to make sessions more active and fun. Learning is a journey, and I hope my students and myself can travel together to gain understanding.

My life is enhanced by yoga, singing, gardening, and walking in the beautiful countryside of the Peak District.

Dror Steiner

Dror is a registered osteopath and naturopath. He studied osteopathy and naturopathy at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine, London, and Western Acupuncture with Dr. Anthony Campbell. Previously, Dror studied many types of massage therapy (hot stone massage, Swedish, holistic, remedial, sport, Shiatsu and Reiki) at the Swedish Institute, New York, and incorporates all of these techniques into his teaching to give comprehensive, easy to understand and effective tuition that will be fun to learn and loved by your clients!

Darien Pritchard

Darien Pritchard has been a bodyworker for twenty five years, including twenty as a massage trainer, influenced by the study of Yoga, Tai Chi, creative dance and the Feldenkrais Method® of movement awareness. Since the late 1980s, Darien has taught a programme of professional development workshops for massage practitioners in Australia and the UK, and more recently in Scandinavia.

Craig Foden

After receiving an inspiring massage for a painful lower back due, in part, to poor drumming posture, I became directly aware of it's healing potential. My continuing martial arts practice nurtured my growing interest in bodyuse, naturalness of movement and body/mind awareness which encouraged me to seek out and qualify (2005), in professional holistic massage with SCMT

Having enjoyed the entire learning experience so much, during reflections of the course alongside my fellow graduates, I commented that I would happily repeat the training. When asked if I would like to do just that, but this time as an assistant tutor, I jumped at the chance to continue to learn and share inspiration with 'new' students.

Massage practice is an intrinsic way to facilitate the healing process. Having learned much, there is much to learn. Currently, I'm researching trigger point massage.

"The joy we spread will be like rings on a pond, spreading out and reflecting back to us"
Dr Hatsumi Masaaki

Jayne Barratt

The first few years of my career were spent in teaching followed by enjoying time at home with my son. As he became more independent I decided I wanted to find a new interest. I developed many activities and new projects including massage as a hobby and I felt fulfilled. It was the continual requests to "just rub my shoulders..." or “do me that nice face massage..." that made me want to pursue my fascination with massage even further. The thought then occurred to me that I could actually make this my new career! This led me to train professionally in one of the things that I love and has allowed me to combine both my passions by becoming an assistant teacher with SCMT where I continue to train and learn new ways to help people restore their body balance and equilibrium.

"I hear and I forget
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand"
Confucius

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A common approach at most massage schools is to teach a significant amount of information with the idea that if students memorise enough information they will be successful. The drawback to this approach is that no matter how much a person can memorise it will not guarantee their ability to apply the information appropriately when needed.

At SCMT the emphasis is "try it out and find what works!". For example, at SCMT we offer many different activities to suit different learning styles. We offer opportunities for group participation in the learning process and a large proportion of the course is experienced based learning. Not only will you learn about massage from a physical point of view but inevitably study & experience the emotional & spiritual connections too.

• SCMT develops students to be professional practitioners who can work with a range of people and give massage that really attends to their client’s needs.
• SCMT provides a training that is a process over a period of time to enable students to mature/develop and become professional and confident.

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Massage Training Institute (MTI) is a nationally recognised training and accrediting organisation. On successful completion of your course you will be awarded a Diploma in Holistic Massage. Massage Training Institute is a member of the General Council for Massage Therapy (GCMT).

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When you qualify, the biggest obstacle you will have to overcome is the challenge of generating your own work. Unique to SCMT training is the opportunity to undertake a work placement during your course. Each student will choose an area they want to work in and organise, with support, their placement. This experience helps you to learn what its like to work as a massage therapist. All the students share their experience in a short presentation thus everyone learns about a range of work opportunities before the training ends.

You also will work in several student clinics thus giving you the experience of working in a clinical setting with members of the public, before you leave the course.

“The student clinic was an important milestone for me” - Helen

"It was a great experience to do my placement with Young Mothers at Sure Start as I think they are a neglected group” – Jackie

“I loved working in the Physio Clinic, I learnt a lot about injuries” – Ian

“I was very moved by working with people with Fibromyalgia, I had no idea what a debilitating condition it is” - Clare

“My mum has arthritis so I wanted to learn more, when I worked at the residential home, I met a helpful nurse who taught me loads” - Sue

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Frequently students report how inspired they feel during the training and after they qualify. The course is built on inspiration and the training is shaped by the feedback received from students. “can we have more student clinics?” “lets look at healing sooner” “can we have more coaching please?” All the trainers continue their own training and weave this into the course to keep it alive and inspiring.

You will be surrounded by inspiration. Yes your tutors are inspirational but so are the other students. Trainees come from lots of different backgrounds and life experience. You also are inspiring and by choosing to undertake a massage training with SCMT you will inspire everyone you know.

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Your training includes a wide spectrum of techniques and approaches from deep muscular work & passive joint mobilisation to light energetic touch and work in the aura. It looks at the reasons for physical distress in the body, whether it is expressed as a headache, backache, joint problems, stress, sleeplessness, sadness, anxiety or depression. By working with massage we can soften the physical armouring, release held tension and free old fixed patterns in the body. Making sense of the energetic and emotional meaning of physical posture, non-verbal communication and bodily symptoms is unique to the Massage Therapy that is on offer at SCMT.

At SCMT we emphasise

• Intergrative Massage that is tailored to each individual client
• Good communication skills
• Self care
• Reflective practice
• Creativity
• Fun

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In the last few decades other elements have lead to the emergence of the more 'holistic' style of massage taught by SCMT. Traditions from the East including meditation, T'ai Chi, and other martial arts, dance and also bodywork disciplines have offered practical ideas of body and body use that underpins this training. Western approach to disease is studied as is some body psychotherapy traditions. Common to SCMT is the importance of practitioners working on themselves. A self - care programme is developed by each individual student thus making it possible to embody the energy that they wish to create around their massage practice.

In a massage session with a client you will draw upon the many areas that have been exploring during your training.

• It is common for all massages you give to be different.
• You can expect to be creative instead of sticking to a rigid routine.
• You can expect to critically evaluate your own practice in order to develop.

During your training you will receive massage as part of your learning and development.

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SCMT is based at the Stillpoint Practice. The Stillpoint Practice is a complementary therapy centre in the heart of a residential area in Nether Edge, Sheffield S7.
It is the ideal training space and includes:

• A large training room.
• Clinic rooms to practice in at the student clinics.
• A library with relevant books.
• A comfortable, relaxed, warm, clean environment.
• A cheery welcome.

click here for location

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"Healer, Heal Thyself" is an ancient statement that teaches us how to become holistic massage professionals. Our training's are designed so that you can experientially attain what you need. At SCMT you are given every opportunity to reach your potential as a massage therapist.

Taking time to reflect on your own practice and develop your style are ways in which you can become a unique practitioner, skilled in dealing with a range of clients. Your own healing experience throughout our holistic massage course empowers you with the embodiment necessary to facilitate supportive healing for others with all levels of the body, mind and emotion.

Care and Use of Your Own Body

• Emphasis is placed on looking after your own body when you are doing massage, how you can protect and avoid overuse of your hands and joints and how to use your movement and body weight effectively.
• SCMT train people for (potentially) long careers as body workers/massage practitioners.
• SCMT graduates stand out. Often practitioners who have trained elsewhere remark ‘where did you train, you move so well around the table – who taught you to do that?’

By the end of the course your journey has begun and you’ll need to continue to nurture your skill by attending continual professional development courses – 18 hours per year (GCMT requirements).

Click here for CPD programme

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Your development as a massage practitioner is closely monitored. At the end of the three phases to your training you will take practical assessments. The first assessment is on basic skills, the second a little more complex and the third is based on the final assessment i.e. a “mock”

The mock and the final assessment are as close to ‘real life’ as a professional session.

• The assessments take place in a professional setting.
• In a clinic room with an unknown client (allocated by the training provider) observed one-to-one throughout by an examiner.
• Students’ course work, client case histories etc. also form part of the practical assessment by the external examiner.

Testing theoretical knowledge

• A written paper requiring short answers (35 short answers, 20 labels) and longer essay style answers (3 out of choice of 6).
• The emphasis is on knowledge specifically relevant to massage as applied in practice e.g. rationale behind contraindications, effects of different massage strokes.
• Tests students’ understanding and ability to apply knowledge to client’s needs e.g. the use of knowledge in treatment planning.
• The pass mark is 65%

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